Will powering CLU women's soccer

CLU freshman leads SCIAC with 31 points

Freshman forward Taylor Will has made an instant impact for the Cal Lutheran women's soccer team this season. Will has scored 13 goals and recorded five assists through the first 10 games.

Contributed photo

Freshman forward Taylor Will has made an instant impact for the Cal Lutheran women's soccer team this season. Will has scored 13 goals and recorded five assists through the first 10 games.

Contributed photo

Taylor Will had relatively modest expectations.

As a freshman on the Cal Lutheran women's soccer team this season, Will was just hoping to receive a few minutes of playing time in each half.

But after only a few practices, it was apparent Will would not only be playing, she would rarely be leaving the field.

The 5-foot-8 forward has been a goal-scoring machine for the Regals.

Through only 10 games, Will already has 13 goals and five assists. Her conference-leading 31 total points is 11 more than her closest competitor and 19 more than the players tied for third.

"I honestly didn't think I would be scoring all these goals this early in the year," Will said. "It has definitely come as a shock to me. It's kind of weird as a freshman to be doing it. But it's been really helping the team, so whatever works I am all for."

CLU head coach Frank Marino knew Will had a chance to push for a starting role early. During the recruiting process, he noticed Will's style was the perfect fit for the way CLU plays.

"She was exactly what we were looking for. She has great composure in the box and can score in a variety of ways," Marino said. "She can score from the outside, she can score from the inside, she can score off her head and she is good at taking balls off the dribble and scoring. She is a very dynamic player and not one-dimensional. That is what makes her very effective."

A few more scoring outbursts and Will could make a push for the record books. The single-season program record for goals is 36 and the single-season record for points is 77. Both marks were set by Rachel Wackerman in 1991.

Aside from hard work, Will says there is no big secret to her ability to finish in front of the net.

"I have always had a knack for being in the right place at the right time," she said. "I just kind of know where a person is going to go and know where I need to be when it happens. It's kind of a natural sense, and it's really only in soccer that it happens to me."

Will was an outside midfielder for most of her career before being moved to forward two years ago for her Camarillo Eagles club team.

"I was really surprised at how easy I caught onto it," she said. "It was different at first and I didn't really know how to move quite well with the other forwards. But after a while, it got to the point where I was comfortable with it."

Will grew up in Santa Maria, and started playing soccer at age 8. She also played tennis for many years, but quit after her freshman year at Saint Joseph High to focus on soccer.

Cal Lutheran came onto her radar between her junior and senior seasons once someone suggested she consider it.

"It kind of stuck in my head and I looked it up and went for a visit," she said. "I had some other schools in mind, but I really loved it down here. The area is really beautiful and the girls on the team are really awesome and fun to play with."

Although Will is only a freshman CLU's veteran players have readily accepted her. There has been no jealousy about her taking such a prominent role in the offense.

"With us, we win as a team and lose as a team. She can score all the goals from here on out and I wouldn't be mad," CLU junior Kristin Cameron said. "She has earned her keep from the second she got here. It doesn't matter how old you are or what grade you are. If you are the best for the job, you earn it and she has earned it."

In the short time they have been teammates, Cameron has enjoyed getting to know Will on numerous levels.

"She has been great. She is really open with us and willingly hangs out with us off the field," Cameron said. "And on the field, she gives us everything she could possibly give and more and always finds that little crafty way to sneak in that goal. I am just blessed and thankful she is on my team and not on any other team."

But scoring goals doesn't make Will immune from the typical rookie duties.

"I have gotten my share of carrying the bags," she said. I had to carry them through the airport and stuff. But I am a freshman. I expect it."